The Fourth of July is a great celebration of when the colonies united and declared independence from Britain. They fought for years to secure that independence. Others have fought since that time to keep the liberty that they secured.
When our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it was not just a quick decision made because they were fed up with the British government. It took prayer, time, planning, and unity.
1. Prayer
Our Founding Fathers sought God’s help constantly throughout the process. The colonies were no match for Britain. Britain was the world’s powerhouse at the time. The colonies were outnumbered and out-skilled. The victory would be gained on their knees, not just on the battlefield.
It is not enough for you to get busy working. You need to learn to spend time in prayer. That is where your true strength and power will come from.
2. Time
The oppression had been building for decades. The people started becoming more active. The Founding Fathers knew it would take time to see it through. The initial war lasted for years. It was thirteen years after the Declaration of Independence was signed before the Constitution was ratified and Washing elected as President.
As you work through your different difficulties, you must realize that time is a needed element. Some things may be able to be taken care of and forgotten quickly. Others may take weeks, months, or years to see through to the end.
3. Planning
There was a lot of planning and strategy that was needed for the Continental Army. Training was needed to turn farmers into soldiers. Ways of communication would have to be developed. Battle plans would have to be drawn up, studied, and properly implemented.
You and I need to learn to plan better. It is easy for us to get an idea of what needs to be done and rush into it. But details are missed. Mistakes are made. As the saying goes: “Plan your work, then work your plan.”
4. Unity
All the planning would be wasted if there was no unity among the colonies. The people had to be truly united as they fought the British army. If they were not, the large British army would encounter one small group after another, easily defeating the colonies.
In Genesis 11, the people of the world gathered together to build a tower that would reach up to heaven. Look at verse 6: “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”
The works in the passage are obviously not an example we are to follow. But God shows us the principle and power of unity. He said that because of their unity, “nothing will be restrained from them.” The impossible becomes possible when there is unity.